Pressure regulator



y 1934- c. SMITH 1,958,023

PRESSURE REGULATOR Filed June 18, 1931 Patented May 8, 1934 UNITED STATES PRESSURE REGULATOR Lester C. Smith, Hartford, Conn, assignor to The Spencer Turbine 00., Hartford, Coma, a corporation of Connecticut Application June 18, 1931, Serial No. 545,199

2 Claims.

My invention relates to the class of devices that are employed to regulate the pressure of air, particularly when used in the playing of musical instruments, as organs, and an object or my invention, among others, is the production of an apparatus that shall be simple in construction, that shall be durable, and that shall be efficient, especially in supplying volumes of air at even and unchanging pressures.

One form of a pressure regulator embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side View of my improved regulator.

Figure 2 is a similar view looking from a point located at right angles to the point of view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top View.

In the operation of musical instruments, and particularly pipe organs, it is quite essential that the supply of air shall be not only sufficient to meet all requirements but that such supply shall be steady, of an even pressure, and free from pulsation. An apparatus fulfilling these requirements is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which the numeral 5 denotes a conduit of the usual type employed for the supply of air for organ playing purposes, only so much of the conduit as is necessary for a full understanding of my invention, being shown herein, the extension of the pipe or conduit and its manner of disposition of the air being well understood by those skilled in the art. A valve 6 is pivotally arranged in the conduit and has a spindle extending to the outside of the conduit, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. An arm 7 is secured to the outer end of the spindle, projecting laterally therefrom, and a link support 8 is adjustably attached to the arm as by means of a groove in the arm in which the support is secured as by means of a bolt and nut, the bolt extending through a slot in the arm. A link 9 is pivotally attached at one end to said support and at its opposite end in a notch in the end of a stud 10 secured to and rising from a spider ll resting against one end of a bellows regulator 12 seated upon a bracket 13 which is clamped around and projects from the conduit 5.

The bellows comprising a part of the regulator is of common construction, including two heads 15 and 14 connected by a contractible and expansible case 16. A tube 17 is extended from within the conduit 5, preferably at its center, and on the organ side of the valve 6 to open into a chamber within the bellows, as shown herein this tube extending through the head 15 so that pressure of air within the conduit just beyond the valve will be communicated to the air within the bellows and the latter will be expanded or contracted to accord with the pressure in the regulator and hence in the conduit.

It is essential that the conditions governing movement of the head 14 shall be constant, that is that the resisting force shall always be the same, and with this end in view supporting rods 18 are secured at their upper ends to the arms of the spider 11, said rods having secured at their lower ends a weight supporting plate 19, and the arms of the spider supporting said rods clear of any contacting object. A weight 20 is suspended from the center of the plate 19 and acts through said plate and rods 18 to resist the air pressure within the bellows and to contract the bellows as conditions may permit.

It is found that by employing a weight to resist the air pressure within the bellows the amount of such resistance is always constant and unvarying and the conditions within the conduit 5 are therefore instantaneously met without variation and the valve 6 which is connected for operation by the bellows in the manner hereinbefore set out is constantly positioned to control the supply of air through the conduit as required by conditions of operation of an organ supplied by said conduit.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim:

1. In combination with a conduit for supply of air and a regulating valve within said conduit, a bellows, a connection between said bellows and valve, a communicating passage between the chamber in the bellows and the interior of said conduit, a spider resting upon the bellows with the ends of its arms extending beyond the periphery of the bellows, and a weight suspended from the end of said arms.

2. In combination with a conduit for supply of air and a regulating valve within said conduit, a bellows, a connection between said bellows and valve, a communicating passage between the chamber in the bellows and the interior of said conduit, a spider resting upon the ends of the bellows with its arms projecting radially outward therefrom, rods secured to the outer ends of said arms, a plate suspended by said rods and a weight suspended from said plate.

LESTER C. SMITH. 

